Microsoft to invest $1.7 B in India

By agencies   |   Wednesday, 07 December 2005, 20:30 IST
Printer Print Email Email
NEW DELHI: Microsoft chairman Bill Gates today said the software giant will invest $1.7 billion in India and nearly double its work force in the country over the next four years joining other multinationals expanding operations in the fast-growing economy. Microsoft Corporation has long viewed India as a potentially huge market, and the investment would be one of the single largest by an information technology company. Gates, during his fourth visit to India said, much of the investment would be used for improving the software giant's research and development capabilities. "This amount is to be deployed across select focus areas over the next four years in line with Microsoft's strategic vision for India," he said. The Microsoft chairman hinted earlier Wednesday at bigger things to come when he said the company would add 3,000 jobs in India over the next three to four years. "We have 4,000 professionals in India today, we will increase it to 7,000 over the next three to four years," Gates told a forum of Indian business leaders. Next month, the company plans to open an innovation center in Bangalore, India's technology hub, that will be part of a global network promoting education, entrepreneurial development and innovations by small businesses.